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The End of Illusion Chapter 8: Divided We Fall

We feel even more strongly about getting this song released due to the events in the last few months. We’ve seen families, friends, and neighbors seemingly torn apart by the illusion that there is only one way to think or live. There is this false truth that we have to must concede to the majority’s opinion of what that vision is. False Truths are not Truth. We are being influenced to believe that we cannot tolerate or even understand the differences between us,. THIS IS A FALLACY and completely within our control to change. If we let this negative influence continue It will IT WILL be our demise.

I pledge allegiance to truth and respect, and I deliver myself from evil.
My eyes are open now but what I see is the theft of our free will.
Will you go left or are you on the right side? It doesn't seem to matter.
That's how they keep us in the dark and divided.
What is this world we've created.
Can't you see it's a crisis, that we're in. Open your eyes to the lies.
It's up to us to determine our future for all mankind
We the People, the few who are left, who will stand up and fight for justice.
We must band together as one if we want our message heard by the masses.
Will you stand up and let your voices be heard? Let them ring loud and clear.
We will not trade, we will not sacrifice, our freedom for fear.
Can't you see it's a crisis, that we're in. Open your eyes to the lies.
It's up to us to determine our future for all mankind.
I'm sick of all the complaining and the confusion, I'm Sick of all of the lies and the delusion.
Don't want to hear all your whining and your excuses.
It's now you make up your mind because we're out of time.
I will not stand by and watch this world die
I will not stand by and watch this world die
I will not stand by and watch this world die
I WILL NOT STAND BY AND WATCH THIS WORLD DIE!

The End Of Illusion Chapter 7: Bassman blog

Tales from the bass player
Let's be honest Jason is a man of few words but he is an incredibly important part of the music and the mastery. So I MAY have helped out a little on this one ;) I asked the questions he supplied the answers, I threw it into somthing that resembles a blog... maybe... I hope. You be the judge.

Recording this time around was awesome. Having recorded previously at Megatone Studios, in a way it felt like home. In another way it felt like a brand new studio because of all the new design elements. They did a super swanky surface renovation, the fireplaces I think is my favorite addition.
Tracking itself went really smooth. I spent the most time on Labyrinth. I really pushed myself and made some of the parts more technical and challenging. I know once it’s completed it will be worth all the time and effort.
Once my individual bass tracking was done I looked forward to mixing sessions. That’s where your make the music come alive. Deciding which parts to feature at different times for the listener and how they will be heard through speakers or headphones. Plus adding all of the special effects to really make the music tell a story so that feeling we put into it is received as if we were playing a personal show for the listener.
We put a lot of thought and heart into this music. We want to be a positive force in people’s lives through music.
I can’t wait for people to hear “Brighter Days.” It’s easy on the ears and has a powerful statement.
I will close by saying “open, open, dab, salutations... and beer"
That my friends is a direct quote.
Thanks Jason ♡♡♡
More about the music coming soon.

End of Illusion Chapter 6 (Seek the Truth)

We live in the age of information…. And misinformation. Ultimately we as individuals must commit to self-ownership and be sure that the information we are repeating is correct. We’ve all seen the articles about dead celebrities, miracle cures for cancer, government actions. Which are fact? Which are fallacy? We have to seek for the truth ourselves. We will try not to get too preachy about this one as im sure everyone already has had an experience or 50 like this. :)

This can also mean seeking for your true self. The media and our preceding generations may have a strong influence on who we think we SHOULD be rather than allowing individuals to discover and learn who we are and who we want to be. We all have a choice. Though sometimes we have limited options there is always choice. Consequently we need to own those choices and accept the responsibility of that choice. And should an other choice emerge, take into the account the lessons we’ve learned to make better choices.

“Seek the Truth” is Bryan’s Pick and Honestly we all know why
We all love this song. It’s become even more awesome and impactful by utilizing the studio.
Production on this track has been a monumental task to develop. We’ve added harmonies, and accent tracks, samples, and effects to really blow your socks off. Paul at Megatone has been very encouraging and helpful in making our vision a reality. We sincerely hope that you will hear all the long hours and hard work we put into these songs. Your ears deserve our best. We will always strive to be better as individuals, as musicians, and as a collective band.

The End Of Illusion Chapter 5: Tales from the drummer

Team ULTREA is made up of 4 major members and we all have our strengths. Much of the blogging tends to fall on my shoulders (jenni) SHOCKING right? Well today as a special treat Bryan "band dad" is here to give you a little insight to his experience this time around in the making of "The End of Illusion"

For me, going into the recording studio can be very simple and very difficult at the same time. Simple because I've practiced the songs enough, my timing is always on and we'll prepared before hand, and I've trained myself to use a click track very well. Difficult, because it's hard to pull out the emotions I feel with each song sitting in a small room by myself listening to the rest of the band play through headphones. Very different than playing in front of a crowd and seeing the intensity of my band mates. I love it and loath it all at the same time.

With this album (The End of Illusion) I found myself very much enjoying the diversity of songs we had written. My favorite being "Seek the Truth". I put myself outside of the comfort zone while writing the drum fills and some of the rhythms. It was a good challenge though and I am very proud of the finished product. I hope you will be as well. Thanks to all the family, friends, and fans! -Bryan

Next we will dive into the details of Bryan's pick "Seek the Truth"
have a question for Bryan? leave us a comment below :)

"The End of Illusion" Chapter 4: Introduction to individual tracking

In the live music experience. Every night is different, the energy and the feeling of each song each night is unique and can't be replicated. I feel this is part of why people go to experience live music. The moments that you share at a live show cannot be repeated only added to.

On a recorded track you will hear the song the exact same way every time... so as musicians we want it to be the exact representaion of "our best" performence.
This means countless hours of preperation and actual hours working in the booth, engineering, mixing and so on.
We obsess over every detail with the mindset of "is it our best?" Because our fans deserve nothing less. Our future fans deserve nothing less. Our legacy requires nothing less than our best.

Throughout this whole process no matter what we have going on in our personal lifes. We enter the studio focused on the final product and everything it could be. Your goals and dreams will always pull you through tough times. We hope our goals and dreams of Ultrea help pull anyone in need of inspiration/motivation through their tough times. To give them the push to change their world for the better. Whether your "world" is you, your family, your community and beyond.

Moving forward each ultrealien had a unique experience and task in the making of "The end of Illusion." You'll get to read all about it from each persons point of view. Favorite moments, funny mishaps, real fustration, and a never ending drive to change the world.
Bryan is up first. Stay tuned for TALES FROM THE DRUMMER!

The End of Illusion: Chapter 3 (the HOW)

Hi! if you've just joined us we are Ultrea, and this is the making of our newest CD "The End of Illusion"
This blog is all about HOW we are able to complete the task and how it got started.... where were we? ah yes, So we had selected our songs, we decided to stick with the same studio (Megatone Studios) NOW what else do you need right?
money, money, money moooney.....MOOOOONEEEEYYYYYY!

that's right the cost of recording producing and distributing a CD aint cheap.... BUT we had a plan. We had a moderately successful Indiegogo campaign that helped us raise funds for a trailer to haul our equipment. Once we had the trailer we were able to reach more cities cost effectively. We began making enough to support the majority of expenses we were incurring. Gas, Merch, the occasional hotel stay, strings/sticks, tubes, tire repair, gear repair, cords, drum heads. It really all adds up!
We are proud to have gotten to this point. (Of course the ultimate goal is to be able to create music and share with the world enough on a great enough level to support us full time.) but baby steps :)
We launched our 2nd ever Indiegogo campaign as more of a Pre-Order and Perk campaign. Options from digital downloads and physical CDS to Private performances and Recording in the studio with us. The campaign was more successful than our first (we had learned a lot running both) (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ultrea-ep-number-3#/) receiving 52% of our goal electronically and another 25% of our goal physically. We made 77% of our required funds to get this show on the road.
Our Indiegogo Backers hold a very special place in our hearts and in the music of ultrea. They put their trust and their hard earned income behind us, and this project. Together we will complete this goal NO MATTER WHAT.
We have said it before and will say it forever, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US AND THE ALWAYS PERSEVERE MOVEMENT.
We want to change the world, we want to change lives, we will persevere ALL OF US.

Even with our goal incomplete. We started the task. Starting with Scratch Tracking.
Stepping into Megatone Studios this time was totally different! They had really done a major reset. It made us excited to return and see the studio becoming more successful as we were also striving to become more successful.
We were welcomed back with open arms, and laid out the rough outline for all of the songs.
This was done much like our live performances all playing together in the same room... minus the water spitting and the crowd participation.
And easy peasy lemon squeezy "The End of Illusion" was born..... but of course recording a CD is never easy peasy....
Stay tuned for the next installment to find out more.

Is this TMI?
I find it hard to do updates that aren't positive since that's essentially what were about. But we are human, and we go through ups and downs like every band and every person. I figure its about time I stop pretending we always have it together and just be real.
time to lift the curtain.

The End of Illusion: Chapter 2 (Labyrinth)

Lets dive right into the Music shall we?

When conversations first began about recording again the number one thing we all agreed on in BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. We had gotten our feet wet with Ultrea: Always Persevere having recorded/mixed/mastered it completely on our own. Then We upgraded to Megatone Studios for Ultrea: Forever Ascending. Being able to utilize a professional studio and a producer/engineer like Paul Schluter was a great learning experience and a step in the right direction to improving our sound. At 3 songs each, both EP's did (and are continuing to do) well. We have to always move forward.

More music.

We had plenty of material to choose from. We decided to increase the number of tracks. The industry had been evolving and we need to evolve with it or die. Releasing full length albums is expensive, risky, and time consuming. Today's average listener gets bored 13 minutes into .... really anything anymore. We know there are exceptions to this. Our fans are as DIEHARD as they come. (yes I stole that from hatebreed... what ya gonna do about it)
The people listening and supporting our dreams deserve better from us. And so we created a list of music on this cd to take you from beginning to NEW beginning of "the End of Illusion.

Let's begin with Labyrinth:
Labyrinth is a song we've been playing live for awhile. It has been a fan favorite and was a shoe-in to be on this new release. The song Labyrinth (a maze) symbolizes life's twists and turns, ups and downs, clear paths, and blocked passages. "This is your life. This is your journey" seemed like a superb way to start off the message of personal growth, expanding your mind, and fighting for what is right.
"Hold fast to your intent, we will pick you up when you can go no further" It is our belief, and many others we meet along the way, that music has a way of inspiring and motivating people in a way that other avenues of communication do not.
"We walk blind to the future, but with hope of tomorrow, with strength and purpose you are not alone." No matter what your path. No matter what struggles you encounter. We all have a battle to fight. And fight we will. "Your life is worth it" You matter. You make a difference. actively or passively your existence plays a role in this world. The cool/strange/scary part is YOU get to choose the difference you make.

We put a lot of heart and soul into this music. We all look at it differently sometimes. We would love to hear what this song means to you, as much is left up to the interpretation of the listener.

The End of Illusion: Chapter 1

This is the first in a series of blogs taking you through the process of our latest cd "The End of Illusion"

It will include insight to the writing process and meanings behind the lyrics.
Everyone had been very patiently awaiting the release and we are forever greatful to our Indiegogo backers and fans for aiding in getting this project underway.

We have been working very hard the last 4 years with a list of accomplishments that we are very proud of. Our Recorded work: 2 studio EPs (Always Persevere and Forever Ascending) and a single with acoustic bonus track "No Good for Me." Countless live performances and miles traveled. Interviews in online and print. A growing fan-base with the strength and courage to carry on the always persevere message. And so much more. This Cd "The End of Illusion" immortalizes some of our memories, struggles, and motivations.

Track list
Ultrea: The End of Illusion
1. Illusions
2. Labyrinth
3. Seek the Truth
4. Divided we Fall
5. When time collides between silence and a new dawn.
6. Brighter days
7. (bonus track) Fuck that Shit

As always thank you all for your support. We hope you love what we're doing. Leave us a comment of a question and we will be sure to answer in our following blogs. Off to the studio to ALWAYS PERSEVERE. wish us luck!

The return to the stage draws near

In less than 3 days time we get to return to the stage and restart our goal of spreading the "Always Persevere" message. We've had some incredible moments in the last couple months. Most Importantly we welcomed 2 new humans into the world. It is our highest hope that we can create a better world for them and guide them to do the same. Real change starts at home. First, with yourself, then with those inspired by you. Every last one of us has the power to inspire others with our daily actions. With the support of those around us, we will push to make known that positive change is worthy and is real. That we can stand together and encourage others.
But now I've deviated from the subject...
As most of you know we have been recording a new CD. We have returned to Megatone Studios in Madison, WI once again to work with Paul Schluder. This CD (The End of Illusion) will feature six songs, and some very special guest vocals from a few of our incredible Indiegogo backers. Speaking of Indiegogo: you may remember from a previous blog that we created our 2nd crowdfund campaign. you can read about it below (Jan 8th)
we can not thank our supporters enough for preordering The End of Illusion. as well as donating generously. If you have not yet received your "Perks" don't fret they are on the way. Indiegogo preorders will be mailed out FIRST as soon as the CD is complete. We had hoped to have them prior to our comeback to live performances. Because our campaign did not reach our 100% goal we've been doing our best to continue the process with what we have. We will be selling all of our merch at 50% off in hopes of earning more studio time. We will also be taking 2nd wave preorders for The End of Illusion at our upcoming shows as well. Things have been rough and busy and beautiful and scary and stressful, but in the end we will persevere... we have no other option.
Thank you again to all of those who are supporting us and making waves of change in the world. Join us with our Band Family this weekend as the PHOTOBOMB BATTLE returns. Because no matter how hard, stressful, and crazy life gets. You have to take a moment and have a little fun. More details from the studio coming up next on..... ULTREA BLOG!!!!

Farewell... Sort of

Just for a bit we bid the stage farewell we are officially on break from performing live. During our time away we will be plenty busy welcoming 2 new ultrealien children into the world that we are so desperately trying to inspire. We've already begun work on "The End of Illusion " our new CD due to release in late spring. We are excited to resume recording with Paul Schluter at Megatone Studios in Madison, WI. We performed a sneak peek of just some of the music that will be released on the CD this past Friday at The Annex / Redzone. We could feel the love both on stage and off from the people who have been with us since the begining, people we've been lucky to meet along the way, AND people who'd been dragged out to see us for the first time. We never get tired of meeting new people and learning your stories. What is important to you, what makes you mad, cry, happy.
We had the pleasure of sharing the stage with 4 bands all of which had never played the Annex STAGE before. Piranha, Aterra Tale, Almost Nothing, and 3Pence. It's is and honor to share the love of music and the power it hold with so many people under one roof.
We want to thank a ton of people that have been a driving force behind us for the past year. 301 Productionz, The Red Zone, Hyjinx, The Back Bar, Apex Audio Solutions, Broken Branch Drumstix, Max Ink Magazine, Jimmy K, Kurt Baron and the WJJO local Stage, Patrick and Luke Smallish, Chelsea Amundson, Dan Wepking, Janet and Dale Meixner, R.I.N.D entertainment, E. Wadium Productionzs, Master Dan Cochems, all of our fellow musicians, all of our indiegogo supporters, every single person who got sweaty hugs after a show, Every person who wears the ALWAYS PERSEVERE wristband proudly and brings love and hope to others. And to you.... the few people who read this blog til the end. I hope you'll all be with us to the very end. We... Love... You and stay tuned we're just getting started ;)
- Ultrea